


This Sucks

by Sabene4511



Series: So Many Revelations [5]
Category: MacGyver (TV 2016)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-27
Updated: 2019-08-27
Packaged: 2020-09-28 03:57:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20419538
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sabene4511/pseuds/Sabene4511
Summary: Jack and Riley both need someone to lean on/vent to. That's what family and friends are for.This story takes place shortly after Season 3, Episode 16 Lidar + Rogues + Duty. (So February/March 2019).





	This Sucks

**Author's Note:**

> Hey all, just a little piece I came up with while trying to decide how to handle Jack's exit. I my world he'll come back, I don't care what happens on the show regarding that. This is part of my vampire AU series technically, though it can be read as stand alone without losing anything. Mac being a vampire is not even talked about in this one (despite what the title suggests).

**This Sucks**

**\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

“Whatcha got Chase?” Jack whispers into his comms.

“It’s quiet. Two guards on the east door, one on the south lawn with the dog.” Comes the reply.

“Max?”

“Two on the north door, west is clear except the camera.”

Jack looks through the scope of his rifle. “I got four on the roof. Try to spare the dog if you can. On three. One, two, three.” All three of them fire in unison, and keep firing. He takes out his four and sees the others being dropped by Chase and Max. Then the ground team comes into view approaching the house -and the dog charges them, snarling. “Dammit. Sorry pup, I tried.” Jack takes out the dog.

The team makes entry while the three snipers hold position, watching to be sure no one sneaks up on the team. Several quiet minutes pass, broken only by the team whispering ‘clear’ as they check the sprawling house, room by room. Finally, there’s a whispered curse, in German, if Jack isn’t mistaken, followed by Lenz’s distinctly accented voice. “Empty. Target not present. There’s no one here at all.”

Jack doesn’t like this. “Everybody out. Double time. Don’t touch anything you don’t have to.”

“Copy.”

“One moment, there’s a bunch of papers on the desk in the front room.” The heavy Spanish accent comes across quickly.

“I said get out, Mateo!” Jack repeats as the rest of the team exits the building.

“These look like building plans.”

“Mateo, get your ass out of there!”

“I’m coming, just let me grab this box.”

“Don’t touch anyth….” The rest of Jack’s command is drowned out as the house goes up in a massive explosion.

\-----------------------------------------------

Jack stands at the window, looking out onto the dingy section of some city he can’t even remember the name of right now. He’s exhausted, and their last lead went dry. Though the weather here didn’t seem to get the memo. It’s absolutely pouring -the rain pounding the roof of the rundown hotel his team are crashing in for the night, he’s honestly worried the roof may not hold up. The cell phone at his ear projects the voice of an old friend, who right now, isn’t very happy.

“What the hell did you get me into, Jack?! He’s insane!”

“Hey now, hold on, Des. Mac is a lot of things, but insane ain’t one of ‘em.”

“He turned on a jet engine, _ while _it was on the ground, pointing right at me! I had to hang on to a piece of the wreckage to keep from being blown away!”

Jack just chuckles. “Yeah, that sounds like him. He warned you though, right?”

“Kind of, but I had no idea _ what _he was planning, Jack. I mean, he’s brilliant, but…how did you do this for so long without you both getting killed?”

“Guess I just got used to how he thinks. I _ kind of _ remember the growing pains you’re going through. But it was so long ago, he doesn’t even have to warn me anymore. I just assume he’s going to blow something up.” He finishes with a laugh.

“It’s not funny, Jack.”

“Oh, come on. It’s not that bad. Admit it, he’s already gettin’ to you.”

“He's….compelling. And I see what you mean about his lack of survival instincts. He definitely needs someone watching his back and protecting him from himself.”

Jack takes a deep breath and sighs slowly. “How’s he doing?”

“Pretty sure he misses you, though I don’t think he’d ever actually say that to me. It’s just a look he gets sometimes. Especially if your name has just come up.”

“Is he mad?”

“Mad? At you?”

Jack isn’t sure how to put it into words, so he just stays quiet. She understands anyway.

“I don’t think so. He doesn’t seem angry, just sad. Maybe a little lonely. He’s doing okay as far as I can tell. Though he has an excellent poker face. You’d probably be better off asking someone who knows him better. But I gotta say, it’d be awfully selfish of him to be mad at you for doing your duty to your country, not to mention the world.”

“Nah. It’s not about that. Never mind. How are you doing otherwise? What do ya think of my little girl?” He asks with a smile clear in his voice.

“She’s not so little anymore. And she’s quite the firecracker. Then again she always was, the way you used to talk about her. She's also one hell of a cyber expert.”

“Yeah. She's the best. If she can’t find it, hack into it, or program it, I doubt anyone can.”

“How’s the hunt going?”

“We thought we had him last week but it was a trap. The task force member from Spain set off a bomb. Right now we got nothing. Back to fuckin’ square one.” He says bitterly.

“Crap. Sorry Jack. I assume the Spanish guy didn’t make it, but how about everyone else?”

“Couple of minor injuries from debris. Everyone else evacuated the building without touching anything like I instructed. No one even saw him lag behind and go in that room. Mateo was a good guy, just too eager to prove himself. He was the youngest one on the team...only 25.”

“Shit.”

“And just to rub a little salt in the wound, I had to shoot a dog.” 

“Double shit.”

“And I am beyond tired of this damn rain! I don’t think I’ve been completely dry in days. This just sucks.”

He hears her breathy laugh followed by a soft sigh. “You’ll get him, Jack. I know you. You just need to reset. Give your whole team a few days to relax, recharge. Then go at it fresh. You’re tired, I can hear it in your voice. Hang up the phone and get some sleep. I’ll keep your boy safe until you get back. I’ll keep all of them safe.”

“Thanks, Des. And hey, give Mac a chance to prove himself to you. I promise he won’t disappoint.”

“Yeah, yeah, okay.”

\----------------------------------------------------

Riley lets herself in to Mac’s place. Bozer is busy in the lab, so she knows Mac is alone and she really needs to talk to him. She hears the TV from the living room so she heads that way. She finds him on the couch watching some show on astronomy.

“Hey, Riley. What’s up? I thought you were working at Phoenix all day.”

“I am. I just had to get out of there for a while. Thought I’d stop in and see what you’re up to.”

“Right.” Mac mutes the TV and turns his full attention to her. “What’s really going on?”

“What makes you think anything is going on.”

Mac just tilts his head to the side and lifts his eyebrows in a way that clearly says ‘_ Seriously _?’

“Alright. I think you might be the only one who _ really _understands this.” She plops down on the couch and sighs, suddenly fighting tears. “It’s kind of ridiculous. I was on my computer and this stupid ad pops up...for that water park we went to last year.” A tear rolls down her face. “It was a really good day.”

Mac slides over and puts an arm around her shoulders. “Yeah it was, Ri. And we’ll get more of those days. Jack is the best, that’s why they asked him to lead the task force. He’ll be okay.”

“You don’t know that. None of us can know that.”

“But I know Jack. He won’t let us down, and he needs us to focus on doing our jobs well, too. So that _ when _he gets back, we’re all still here to greet him. We need to trust him. Which also means trusting his choice in sending Desi to us.” He finishes with another lift of his eyebrows.

“I know. And it’s not that I don’t trust her, or even that I don’t like her. I do. It’s just…” More tears fall. “She’s like a walking daily reminder that _ he’s _ not here. And I know that’s not her fault and it’s not fair and I’m trying really, _really_ hard not to take it out on her, but I miss him so much, Mac.”

He pulls her close and wraps both arms around her and holds her tight -feeling tears sting his own eyes. “I know. I miss him, too. We just have to do our part and let him do his.”

He feels her nod her head against his shoulder. “Thanks, Mac. I didn’t know who else to talk to. I hate feeling this way.”

“Me, too. It sucks, but we’ll get through it.”

“Yeah, I know.”

\---------------------------------------------

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed it! Let me know in the comments!
> 
> So far I'm planning at least 4 more installments in this series, we'll see, though. My plans tend to run away on me.


End file.
